Chief of Staff Can Pick From Plenty of Cards

When Andrew H. Card Jr. walks out of the White House for the last time as chief of staff to President Bush on April 14, it's unlikely that he will be worrying about his next job. But just in case he runs into any obstacles, he has family to fall back on in the Washington lobbying biz.

Card's sister-in-law is Lorine Card , who runs a small lobby shop, Card & Associates . The name fits. Her clients have included Comcast and the National Cable Television Association.

Lorine Card is married to Card's brother, Brad Card , managing principal at Dutko Worldwide . He is registered to lobby for the Greater New York Hospital Association, the Essex County Sheriff's Office and software developer Cognos Corp.

Card's sister Alison "Lisi" Kaufman , who was chief of staff to then-Commerce Secretary Donald L. Evans, might be able to pull a string or two. She's now senior vice president for government and international affairs at United Technologies Corp.

Of course, Andrew Card has his own experience in the lobby world -- he was chief lobbyist for General Motors Corp. and chief executive of the American Automobile Manufacturers Association.

Ron Kaufman, who was White House personnel director and political director for President George H.W. Bush, said Card has "a gazillion choices," and "no one is more trusted and loved" here than Card.

Duo to Join C&M Capitolink

C&M Capitolink , a lobbying and consulting subsidiary of the law firm Crowell & Moring , has landed Paul D. Behrends from the defunct Alexander Strategy Group and Patrick J. Donnelly from CropLife America.

John Thorne , president of C&M Capitolink, said that while the seven-person shop is known for its agricultural sector work, "Pat and Paul strengthen our bench and offer more diverse experience to our clients," including Behrends's defense and international policy work.

Behrends, a former national security adviser to Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Calif.) is one of a number of folks who were left out in the cold when ASG closed in January because of its ties to lobbyist Jack Abramoff , who has pleaded guilty to fraud and conspiracy charges, and to Rep. Tom DeLay (R-Tex.), who is under scrutiny in the Abramoff case.

"We sought Paul out because he is well-known by clients and colleagues alike for being an effective straight shooter," Thorne said.

Behrends, who could not be reached for comment, has represented the International Peace Operations Association, a trade group for private security contractors, and was part of the ASG team that lobbied for Koch Industries and the American Bankers Association.